After a day of the VIP experience with Louis Mendes, a girl had developed certain expectations. The kind of expectations only another icon could deliver.

Cleaned up from a long day, I stepped into the newly remodeled Tiffany & Co. flagship (branded “The Landmark”) positively shining. Following a quick introduction to the seven floors awaiting me, I naturally started at the top.

It took about 5 steps for me to be absolutely dazzled.

A diamond-encrusted dome ring with a single sapphire set in the center winked in my direction, and I was done for.

“Let me know if you’d like to have a closer look at anything,” a voice offered from behind me.

I turned to meet Daniel, a 12-year Tiffany veteran who recognized my excellent taste and rolled out the red carpet in response.

Together, Daniel and I chose jewels from several floors before returning to the 7th floor where champagne, printed chocolates, and the most adorable pink macarons waited for me.

Two hours later, I’d tried on well over a million dollars worth of diamonds before the sales team and security discreetly closed the building.

And people who try on millions of dollars worth of diamonds don’t walk out the front door at Tiffany & Co.

The only other Black woman in the building, their head of security, escorted me out via a hidden elevator through a velvet curtain, granting us the only moment we’d have alone.

We shared the sweetest conversation that one day I’ll tell you all about in my future book. But for now, I say it was so good, that I asked how I could stay in touch with her.

She rattled off a few contact details, and I promised she’d hear from me soon.

“But if you forget, you can just Google my name: ‘Selena Nelson’.”

With my curiosity solidly peaked, I stood outside at a side door on 57th Street and did exactly that.

Selena Nelson held a starring role during the 2-year run of Sesame Street’s “Big Bag,” before moving on to more mainstream features like “Law & Order: SVU”, “Daredevil”, “The Blacklist”, and “New Amsterdam.”

I walked into Tiffany’s hoping to be treated like a star. I never guessed I’d walk out having met one.

[Ed. Note: This post is part of a one-time February 2024 mini-series that took me to NYC where I was treated to an abundance of Blackstories first-hand. In place of my usual February content, I chose to share my own real-time (-ish) lived experience to honor the vibrant people New York put in my path.]